The Portland daily press., 1887-03-05

should the bill pass. Mr.. Libby also said
that more was often charged for short haul
than for q longer one. For instance
II cost "a much to send carload of freight
from Portland to Carmel "a small station
this side of Bangor) as to send that same by
Carmel to Bangor and thence back to Car
mel. He also said that the scythe makers OF
i Oakland shipped their scythes to Boston,
and thence in the same cars sent them back
through Oakland to st. John, and that this
was cReaper for them than to ship direct to
ST Iohn from Oakland. In conclusion Mr..
Libby read letter from Senator Simpson,
complaining OF the determinations against
Mr.. Brown. hay dealer of Skowhegan,
| next complained of rebates given to his
neighbors and not to him:
Mr.. Head. member member tha 81 a.santo ane House from
Committee to the fact that the rates of
| freight were much more from Portland to
Wateryille than from Portland to Bangor.
| On this account many small industries that
could locate in Wateryllle went TO Bangor or
| also spoke. Then Mr.. Noble, of Lewiston,
| summed up briefly the points that had been
made. The bill, he said, had been modelled
| after portions Of the Interstate commerce
| bill.
| mond and Hon. o. ID. Baker were present.
| They took the ground that the matter was a
| very important one indeed, and that If the
| friends of the bill, If they had been in earn
| est, would not have waited until the end OF
the session before bringing it forward. Then
they showed particulars in which the bill
| was very defective, especially as 1t did not
| allow excursions, and would not have al
| lowed cheap transportation OF cattle TO the
fairs. As Mr.. Bass, Of Bangor, was to have
| appeared for the bill, but declined at the last
moment to do so,the last point was pertinent
| ly taken. Mr.. Drummond laid great stress
| ON the Importance Of the subject and insisted
that bill to regulate the business OF the
railroads should be drawn with great care and
| study, which had not been put upon the bill
| before the committee.
State Pensions.
AT the present time the law relating to
| State pensions is so worded that the widows
or minors or dependent parents or sisters OF
only those soldiers who died from wounds
| or injury sustained in the service while in
the line of duty get aid This morning this
bill was reported from the committee on
| pensions, making radical change In the
law:
An act to amend sec of chap. 144 of the r. s.,
relating TO State pensions, so that the section
shall read as follows:
See 2-The widow during her widowhood, or
phan chi dren under twelve years Of age, orphan
partially totally disabled by accident or chronic
sickness, or the dependent parent or sister OF any
soldier or seaman deceased, are entitled 10 the
same pension as is provided in the preceding see
tion, and under similar conditions, provided that
no more than eight dollars month shall be paid
any one family.
To provide for these additional State pen
sions the sum Of $1,000 is appropriated for
1887 and like sum for 1888.
State Taxation.
This morning Mr.. Manley, for the finance
committee, announced that after consulta-
tion with the State treasurer the committee
had decided that the State tax could be re-
duced to p mills instead of 3 mills, as re-
ported by that committee previously. The
State tax has been 81 mills; thus the reduc-
tion is little over one-quarter. The differ
ence that this will make is considerable.
Portland's State tax last year was S114,226
On the same valuation this will be reduced
about $4,000. Deering's, which was $9,
brooks, which was $5738, about $500;
Brunswick's, which was S10077 about
$2500; Biddeford's, which was about $22,-
069 about $5,400; and Saco's, which was
about S11, ,321, about $1,000. This reduction
of the State tax is in accordance with. the
promises which Governor Bodwell made in
his inaugural, when he said that the State
tax could be reduced one mill by refunding the
State debt. On the valuation Of the whole
State the reduction of the State tax win
amount to S235,000.
The tuberculosis Investigation.
The tuberculosis investigation came to
close this afternoon. Secretary Gilbert's
lawyer had DR.. Bailey on the stand nearly
all the afternoon, and tried by every possible
means to break down his evidence and his
position. But Dr. Bailey did not break
down. He maintained his position so well
that it is the opinion of unprejudieed hear
ers very generally that thecase looked worse
than before for Secretary Gilbert. In the
course of cross questioning this afternoon,
DIR. Bailey showed one letter where Mr.. Gill
bert had written that they were appealing to
him GILBERT in various parts Of the State to
attend to diseases among cattle and horses,
but that to save the State expense, he was
staving these people of and waiting Tor the
animals to get well.
The committee have not decided yet what
to report; but there are some of them who
will undoubtedly stop short of nothing but
censure of Mr.. Gilbert for not taking more
prompt means to stamp out the tuberculosis
which began at the college farm. 1t is prob
able also that others, or another, on the
committee will think that Mr.. Gilbert did
about right.
Railroad Consolidation.
A bill was introduced in the Senate to-day
and referred to the railroad committee to
provide for the consolidation of the system
of roads which are expected to extend from
Pittsfield to Moosehead Lake. This is the
bill:
The Sebasticookand Moosehead Railroad Com
pany and the Harmony and Wellington Railroad
Company and the Monson Railroad Company are,
for the purpose of uniting their several interests
hereby authorized TO sell or lease the whole or
any part of their property and franchises to any
one or more of said companies, or TO any other
corporation, person or association or to purchase
the whole mart of the DrODertv and fran
chises OF either or both OF the said railroad COM
panies.
The judiciary committee reported to the
House this morning. this important bill to
amend sec. of chap. GA, of the Revised Sta
tutes, so that it shall read as follows
Sec. 7.-when the last viii OF any deceased per-
son who had his domieHe in the State at the time
of his death, is lost destroyed, suppressed or car
ried out OF the State, and cannot be obtained af-
ter reasonable diligence, its execution and con-
tents may be Proyed by copy ana aby oy tae es III
any other evidence competent 10 prove the execu
ton and contents Of will, and upon proof OF the
| continued existence of such lost will unrevOkod
up to the time of the testators DEATH letters tes-
tamentary shall be granted as on the last viii Of
the deceased, the same as If the original had been
| produced and proved And when such original
win is produced for probate the time during which
it has been lost suppressed concealed or carried
out of the State shall not be taken part Of the
Limitation provided in the first section Of this
| chapter.
The Came Laws.
The fish and game committee reported this
morning several important changes in the
game laws. In response to the representa-
tives of Portland parties who are interested
| in the propagation of the Virginia Quail
they have prepared a bill shortening the
shooting season for quail one month. Now
| it is from Sept. 1st to Dec. 1st. The new bill
| makes it from Oct. 1st to Dec. 1, thus giving
| the quail one month more to rest
The committee also reported bill making
the shooting season for deer, caribou and
| moose one month earlier, extending from
| Sept. 1st to Dec. 1st, instead of from Oct. ]
| to Jan. 1st The committee also add in their
bill the provision that no female moose shall
be killed at any time.
Notes.
The committee on railroads .have reported
fayorably the bill for street railway in
Brunswick, ami the bill is on its course
through the two branches.
The judiciary committee, at the same time
they decided not to put the land damages o.
the ferry way onto Portland, also decided
adversely ON the bill for charging to the ferry
company a rental for the landing.
The House this morning, after lively de
bate, concluded that the weight of bushe
of oats should be 80 pounds.